Return of the Houses
by The Nightdreamer
Summary: Second in the Houses trilogy. "Unfortunately, we have been unable to contact them, and they aren't allowed to participate." The Houses are now forced to come back once again. Twin Masters is trying to rise, and the four are the only people who can stop him. But at what cost?
1. Return

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 1:

"Sonia!" Alpha Girl called out to her, and she turned to whip her tongue to destroy several monsters. Sonia looked at Ray, who was also electrocuting the monsters to bits. They were severely injured now.

However, they won the first round, retreating back to Big Green. "Magic Users, Werewolves, dangerous." Kowloon muttered as he paced up and down.

"But don't you know anyone that can help?" Ria, a new member of the Air Force and Rosefinch's sister, ran a hand through her hair.

"Unfortunately, we have been unable to contact them, and they aren't allowed to participate." Ray sighed, banging his fists on the wall in frustration.

"You know someone? I was just asking for the sake of it." Ria seemed surprised.

"Yes." Sonia hesitated, looking at the squads. "What do you know of the legends of The House of Magic and Shape-Shifting? More specifically, the four, Lin Chung, Yue Long, Ri Yang and Zi Huang?"

"Whoa. Wait. You mean Lin Chung, the _Head_ of the Houses? _And _the former leader of _First Squad_? You're saying that they were real people? But they are only stories."

The squads laughed. "If Yue hear you say that, she would've killed you." Husky smirked.

"You knew them?"

"Of course we did. Lin Chung used to be the former leader of First Squad, Derek. He, however, handed the position back to Mr. NoHands," Kowloon nodded at him, which he nodded in reply to. "After he went back to his position of Head of the House of Magic and Shape-Shifting."

"They were magic users? And Shape-Shifters?" George, a soldier, looked interested at the four mentioned.

"Yes. And quite powerful ones at that. Lin Chung was a Harmonic Energy user. Zi Huang was a Chaotic Energy user. Yue and Ri were experienced Shape-Shifters, which applied to every sort of animal on Earth."

"And humans." Rosefinch reminded Sonia. "Only animals are changelings, or at least, that's what Ri and Yue keep on stressing about."

Sonia smiled. "And humans."

"They sound...interesting."

"Of course they did. They were loyal, and quick on their feet. We were very good friends with them, especially Lin Chung, seeing how he used to be a member of First Squad. He was the first one to be admitted into the Squad. We all came much later."

"Kowloon, I heard that they were nearly immortal, like the four children that came here. Is that true?"

"Of course not. They could live up to over 5 or 600 years." However, before they could answer, the alarm rang, signalling the return of the giants and army.

* * *

Halfway through the battle, as the squads were all bunched up in a circle, fighting for their lives, Rosefinch shouted. "Kowloon! Behind you!" Kowloon turned, to see a giant wielding a club charge towards him, but, before it hit him, several bamboo shoots came shooting out of the giant's head. The squads looked astonished, before several arrows picked off more monsters at their sides. Two teenagers then showed up, slashing at the monsters. One of them stopped, turning to the others. "If you keep that up, you'll catch flies."

"Yeah. And I'll be offended because I can actually turn into one, you know?" Kowloon then regained his voice.

"Ri! Zi! You're here!" He laughed despite himself.

"Right in the flesh." Ri then showed the family's traditional smirk, before turning back to the battle.

"Wait. If they're here, then..." Jumpy trailed off as he looked at the top of Big Green. Two figures were perched there, a bow and a bamboo shooter out. The one with the bow picked out more monsters, until the figure leapt down lightly to the ground. The other one joined him, and the four started hacking their way over to the group once more.

"Hey guys. Miss us?" Yue had a gleam in her eye, the famous mischievous grin playing on her lips. Lin Chung's face only stayed amused as he studied the group. The four then went back to the battle, which the others did as well after recovering. Just then, they heard a shout from one corner of the battlefield. They turned. Yue was currently in the grip of a giant, who was squeezing the life out of her.

She then snarled, before knocking her head back. A sickening crunch echoed the battlefield, and the giant stepped back, his grip loosening. Yue took full advantage of it, grabbing the giant and flinging it over her shoulder to Lin Chung, who, in turn, kicked it to Zi. Zi then slashed the being into bits, sharpening them with magic, before returning it to Ri and Yue, who kicked the shards to the monsters, killing the majority of them.

After the long battle, it ended as Yue managed to slice off the main giant's head with Alpha Girl. Alpha Girl laughed lightly. "What are you guys doing here? Weren't you banned?"

Yue shrugged, looking forlorn. "This matter is getting to serious. There is a _need_ for breaking rules. We have to help you, or we're all dead."

"So you can join the battle now?" Kowloon asked, hardly believing his luck.

Lin Chung joined them, looking bemused at their expressions, and nodded.

The four then froze. "What is it?" Ray asked them cautiously, but Yue put her finger to her lips.

"Not a sound." They also fell silent, not hearing anything. But they could tell the four had, as their face grew paler and paler by the second. They turned to each other, eyes wide.

* * *

**AN: And the next story starts. I've got a faint outline for the story planned out, just need to finish writing it. So, what do you think?**


	2. Decision

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 2:

They looked at Lin Chung, his face thoughtful. His arms were crossed, and he looked at the other three. "We have to return to the House."

"What is that?" Sonia found her voice, asking the four, but they didn't seem to hear her.

"The House of Shape-Shifting and Magic." Woo the Wise stepped forward, a long scroll in his hands. "The one where they usually have their councils."

"Remember? When we found them?" Rosefinch rolled her eyes.

Yue was clearly shaken, and Lin Chung's face was grim. Ri and Zi were also looking troubled. They turned to the group, and Zi turned to his oldest cousin. "Lin, are you sure it's a good idea? No one but us are supposed to know the location of the house."

"We need their help, and there is no other place where the Cordis Magnus, if itself _had_ indeed risen, is not allowed to eavesdrop. Unless they want to fall, they won't risk listening to us."

But Ri also added his thoughts. "Aren't we breaking an oath of the House? We aren't allowed to show people where we hold them."

"And the House of Cordis Magnus is not supposed to be risen. They had been banished to the darkest corners of the pit, and are not supposed to rise. They need at least a few millennia to rise again. It means that they have done something which involves breaking the laws, and we need a chance."

"Lin Chung, I would agree with you, but this is one of the earliest things we were taught. This is serious."

"Yue. Cordis Die was only destined to rise in a few millennia, and they've rose. We need help to defeat them. They have Twin Masters with them. That only makes it worse. I was barely able to defeat him, even with Hero 108. I should've been able to defeat him easily." Everyone there were looking uncertain now. They had heard of Hero 108. It was the greatest fighting force ever created, and created by Lin Chung himself.

Yue then nodded, a small smile lighting her face. "I'm all for breaking rules. I'm in." Lin Chung smiled, turning to the other two along with Yue.

Ri nodded slowly, hesitantly giving in, but Zi still looked troubled. "Zi?" Yue asked her brother.

Zi looked up. "I want to suggest something. The Cordis Magnus is able to read minds. I say that when we let them out of the house, we erase their memories the millisecond they step on Earth. Cordis Magnus may not be able to attack, but he is able to send people to do his work for him." Yue nodded along with Ri, and they turned to Lin Chung. He was nodding as well.

"Well thought, Zi."

"Then I'm in."

Woo the Wise then interrupted. "I don't mean to break the mood, but isn't it inaccessible to everyone here who is not part of the house? Thousands have found the house, but are unable to enter."

Yue laughed. "The only reason is because they are not allowed in by the House members." She turned to Lin Chung. He nodded to us, and Panther King & Queen, who joined them.

Yue was the first to vanish, followed by Zi, and then Ri, before Lin Chung fixed his gaze on them. "Come."

The group saw darkness for a while, before they reappeared in a majestic room.

* * *

**AN: Boring, yes, I know, but, hopefully, it gets better.**


	3. Fight

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 3:

The group stayed in the room, looking at where the four were talking about something. They didn't miss the way that the atmosphere was suddenly thick with tension, or how worry creased Lin Chung's forehead, while Ri and Zi glared at one another.

Turning to the group and smiling wearily, Lin Chung gestured for Yue to go out with them, which she obligingly agreed. She directed the boys into one room, and the girls into another, before Rosefinch frowned. Something was wrong, she was going to ask Yue.

She went out, catching the shape-shifter just as she was about to turn around a corner. The shape-shifter obliged at her call, and turned, her smile weak. She gestured for Rosefinch to follow her. Once they were out of earshot, Yue sighed, running her hands through her hair, which were now just below her shoulders and was in a swift cut. "Yue, what's wrong?"

"We may seem like family, and we are, but here, we avoid going here. When we're here, we never have seen each other eye to eye. Being here only reminds us of the different species we are. Magic-users and Shape-Shifters. Ri and Zi may seem like good friends, but here, they have clashed violently, and it has taken both me and Lin Chung to try and get them to stand back and calm them down before returning more than once. Lin Chung knows this."

"Then why did he let you lead us and not one of them?"

"He wants to keep an eye on them. Mental messages can also cause harm, and we can't try to weaken each other's mind barriers just because of an argument. If this happens, we will be helpless to stop the enemy from reading our minds." Just then, they heard a violent crash, and two loud thuds. Then, it was silent again. Yue's face was creased with worry, and her expression was terrified. Rosefinch put her arm around her. "What happened?"

"I'm guessing that one of them tried to attack the other, and Lin Chung had to interfere. Or..." She ran her hand through her hair again. "There are lots of scenarios. But the fact is I'm too weak to stop them. If a fight brews up between the three of them, don't remind me of it."

"Wait, what? I thought Lin Chung was the peacemaker around here."

"He is, but sometimes..." Yue sighed. "Magic users. Lin Chung also argues with Ri sometimes, usually with Zi backing him up. Or else, Zi and Lin will be arguing. Harmonic energy was born to create, and Chaotic energy was born to destroy. They are polar opposites, yet they are both Magic users. Zi and Ri argue all the time, and Lin Chung has to step in most of the time. I have never had any problems with them myself. Zi is my older brother, by blood, and Lin Chung is my brother, and I'm close to him, sometimes more than Zi. Ri, I'm fine with. We are both Shape-Shifters, and we both have the same level of experience and animal knowledge, me possibly a little lower, which is a good thing."

"So you try not to come here often?"

"But we have to. If it is important, and we can't have anyone hearing, this house is the safest place. Once, when I was around 185, a fight broke out among the three of them." She hesitated, sighing heavily. "I could hardly stop them. Nearly half the house was destroyed before I could get them to only listen to one another, ensuring more chaos. Finally, I managed to knock Ri out, since he hesitated to attack me. I'm his kind, after all. Lin and Zi were harder to. I was scared. 182 years isn't a lot of experience in stopping arguments. My time was, luckily, not up yet." Rosefinch's eyes widened. She knew what Yue meant. She had nearly _died_. "Before they saw sense and stopped."

"They were that dangerous?"

"Yes. Together, we're strong. But against each other, we're still strong. Tensions still run high whenever we are here. I had to learn their weaknesses without them knowing, trying to find the best ways to knock them out without seriously hurting them. And that's why I want you to promise to always go with someone, or, if in a group, me. If a fight like that breaks out, they won't be able to tell who is friend or foe. Sometimes, if all three fight, then their magic and animals inside will take over. They'll just tear away anything in sight, trying to kill the others. They are dangerous. Let me handle them. Don't let anyone else. Got it?" Rosefinch nodded, before she headed back to her room.

But she could see that Yue was still on edge from the horrible memory.

* * *

**AN: Dun dun dun! As always, reviews are welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

**Chapter 4:**

They could hear voices coming from the direction they came in, and froze, before the shouting faded, and in a language they didn't understand. That didn't stop them from knowing that it was an angry argument.

It was only as they were going to sleep did they realise how much they depended on her, and how she was now the weakest among them, emotionally and possibly mentally.

* * *

At midnight, they woke up, gathering in the room connecting their rooms. They could hear shouts and bangs. Glass shattered, and they looked at the door in horror. They could faintly hear Yue's voice shouting at them, but the other three voices were more powerful. Finally, about an hour later, everything went silent. Yue peered into the room cautiously, and smiled faintly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. You?"

"I'm fine. Sorry 'bout that. Go back to sleep." They nodded, but were too shaken to go back to bed. They instead slept in the same room. In the morning, they joined Yue as she led them to eat breakfast. As they reached the room, she fell silent, looking at the three family members. Ri and Zi were scowling at each other, and Lin Chung was quiet, his face emotionless. He smiled faintly as he saw the guests enter. "Morning."

They nodded back, and sat down, pretending nothing was wrong. Out of the corner of their eye, they saw Yue look at them, a frightened look in her eye.

Suddenly, everything happened at once. Yue caught the warning gleam, and immediately, the table flipped, and she shoved the group beside the table, safe from the impending attack.

The group stared in astonishment. Lin Chung's eyes were glowing blue. Zi's was purple, and Ri's were red, like a feral animal. They charged repeatedly, attacking without hesitance and at their best. Yue stormed in the middle leaping into a tiger, and pulled Ri away from the group, before knocking the other two on separate sides of the room. They were still staring at the two, and turned sharply as they heard a loud growl. Ri's teeth sunk deep into the soft flesh of Yue's side.

She pulled him off, turning into a panther, and knocking away Zi's dagger, before turning around to get knocked in the face by Lin Chung. She recovered quickly, and turned to a cheetah, tackling him, and knocking his weapon to the group.

Kowloon grabbed it, not willing to see Yue hurt again. Meanwhile, Rosefinch snatched away Zi's dagger, and Sonia let out a cry. "Yue! Behind you!" Yue turned, narrowly dodging a sword that would've gone to the heart. She kicked Ri, and started dodging the strikes made by the other two. She knocked Zi out, but he recovered quickly. Ri managed to land a sharp-clawed attack to Yue's face. She roared in pain, before kicking Ri hard in the stomach. She then swept her legs under him, before flinging him to the wall.

Ri was knocked out cold. Yue faced Zi, growling in anger, and kicked him hard, before he twisted her leg, and she let out a yell, turning into a cheetah and knocking him out with a rapid series of punches and kicks. She turned to the Head himself, who was watching this with a sort of dark amusement. He got ready, looking at her, ready for her charge.

She charged, before being rebounded on, and recovering quickly, only to find her legs buried with the Earth. She quickly vanished in a whirlpool, and appeared behind Lin Chung knocking him hard in the Head, only for him to kick her, and shove her to the wall, energy surrounding her. Yue waited for the oncoming impact as the others closed their eyes...only to find none. She opened an eye, where Lin Chung's eyes were flickering from blue to their usual black. He leaned forward. "Yue, now."

Yue took this chance, knocking him out cold.

* * *

"That is why you didn't want to come back to the Houses." Rosefinch said, before wrapping Yue's shoulder up from where she was slammed onto the wall.

"Things has been difficult for us, and in the Council room, because it is one of peace, we are safe there." Lin Chung explained, looking at the still forms of his brother and cousin. Yue nodded.

"Then why don't you move in there?"

"That would be disrespectful." Lin Chung reprimanded Ray's answer.

"Still."

"The Ancestors can do something much worse than the fight we just had. I'm not going to risk it." Lin Chung snapped.

Ray looked taken aback, before Lin Chung sighed and his eyes softened. "The effects of the House."

Ray nodded, instantly forgiving him, but Lin Chung just looked weary. "We need help back in the Mortal World." He sent Yue a meaningful glance, but she shook her head, stepping back.

"Oh _no._ Forget it. I am not going to summon those bloodsuckers."

"Yue."

Yue looked at him incredulously, before she scowled, her turned around, her back to Lin Chung.

* * *

**AN: And 4th chapter up. Thanks to everyone who had read this chapter!**


	5. Recovery

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

**Chapter 5: **

And that was how her back was turned pointedly away from the Warriors. The leader, Lady Atries, snarled as she saw Yue. She then drew her bow, causing Yue to draw her twin hunting knives, and the warriors to also draw their bows. Lin Chung shook his head to the stunned group, telling them not to interfere. "If you're smart, Atries, don't." Yue growled.

"You have to right to talk to our lady like that." One of the warriors, in front, snapped at Yue.

"I have every right to talk to her, and all of you, like this, Meron." Yue stood her ground calmly, an almost amused expression dancing in her eyes at the warriors' frustration.

"Shut up, Girl."

"Oh, so you don't only call men 'boys' now only? Now you call girls? I'm offended. So, tell me, what is your point, girl?" The warrior flinched at the icy tone, but still had her bow steady.

"You should not treat Milady like that. You should instead respect her, like all maidens do."

The thought suddenly struck Sonia, and she turned to the group. "That's why there are so little females. They had all joined this so called 'House'." The others nodded, turning back to the conversation.

"Why would I respect a moronic idiot that takes the loyalty of girls, or, as you call them, 'huntresses' from their own houses? To be frank, I thought our house showed loyalty. So, tell me, why did two of our 'maidens' join you? Tell me." Two of the huntresses in the back flinched, looking nervously at Yue, who's face was now blank, somehow making it look frightening, seeing her face with absolutely no expression.

"They chose to. Rare, but impressive. You, not so much."

Yue let out a bitter laugh. "It's never been how rare it was, or how impressive they are. You know our house has girls nearly only every millennium. And they are usually great warriors. That's why you recruited them the moment they were old enough to make their own decisions. You choose them because they are powerful. That is why you never recruited me until about 250 years later, when I fully mastered my powers. I was weak. That's why you never wanted me."

"Still, I offered you a chance. You refused."

"I refused because it was too late for you to try and change my mind. I knew my position, I liked it, and I kept it. I knew where my loyalties lay, unlike all of your stolen 'maidens'. They were still to naive to know what to do, and they were jealous of every other male because they got their name and position first. The truth was, they were still too young to reveive their names. They joined you when they turned 16. You probably needed nearly 100 years to earn a place in the council. But you guys got impatient.

"You only created your house because you wanted to prove to people that women were strong. I agree. But you destroyed all of the people that follow you's loyalty. They were all from the Houses, because they were powerful. You kept on coming to our House in hopes of finding a girl that was powerful enough. You found two. You ignored me. But I now know my place." She started sharpening her sword, the warriors looking guilty, but still stood their ground. "I guess I should thank you for that."

"They agreed to join me willingly."

"Did they? Then tell me, Isabele, Hersisa, why did you join the 'House'?"

The two warriors stepped forward. The squads could see that they had black hair and tanned skin, but their hair had some traces of grey hair, and they suspected that it wasn't from old age. All from the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic were commonly known for their grey hair.

"We joined because they gave our life meaning."

"So you think that serving your house has no purpose? Nothing for your family who cared about you, and raised you?"

"We did care, but we wanted something more to look at. Something bigger."

"So you think that hunting worthless animals is a 'bigger' thing? Not serving your house? In some ways now, I'm glad that your powers will leave you when you abandon the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic. Maybe we should do this for all the houses so that they will be, ah, how do you say it? Ah. That's right. Weak." Yue spat. "But you wouldn't want that, would you, Atries, former member of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic. You just wanted to be stronger than males. Your ego was too big for your head, wasn't it? That's why you train them in long range. It was the only thing you were still god at. The others you had to learn yourself, after our House removed your powers, right? That was why you were so bitter towards our House, and created your own girl scouts, isn't it?"

Atries let out a screech, leaping forward to attack, before Lin Chung intervened.

"Stop." Lin Chung's voice stopped the both of them, his staff stopping Atries from attacking.

"She insulted me and my house! She is nothing but a fancy hypocrite." Atries shrieked, enraged. Yue then turned around, none of them seeing her face as she disappeared. Zi put his hand out, as if wanting to talk to her, but dropped it when she disappeared. He growled at Atries. The other houses were looking offended as well.

"In some ways, she has every right to, and her reasons are perfectly valid." Ri growled back at Atries, glaring at 5 of the girls in the back. They looked ashamed, but stood firm.

"Both of you. Quiet. Now." The both of them shut up immediately, seeing the hardness in Lin's eyes. "Atries, I do not want to remind you, but remember your place. You and your house are only minor compared to us. You are a minor member of the council. Remember the rule that everyone respects unless you want to lose your seat in the council. After all, you are all about following rules, aren't you?"

"What rule?" Ray blurted out before he thought about it. Everyone turned to him, and he looks slightly nervous. Ri stepped forward.

"One of the most sacred and ancients rule. It is very simple. Minor members of the council are not allowed to attack members with more senior positions than them."

Atries glared at Ri mutinously, but he didn't flinch or even blink. "The girl,"

"Yue." Zi interrupted.

"Whatever is not more senior than me."

"Technically, she is. She is a descendant of the most noble houses that outrank your by at least 10 times. She may not be as old as you or your warriors, but she holds a more respected place in the council than you and your little girl scouts," The huntresses growled, ready to spring, but Lin Chung's eyes kept them in place as Ri continued. "And she has far more experience with fighting and knowledge than you will ever achieve if you still keep to hunting instead of fighting in wars and blaming everyone in the council. Maybe that is why she holds a more respected position in the council." Ri smirked.

"Both of you. Now." Lin Chung's voice was serious, and even the squads were slightly scared now. They understood. This was their last warning. One more, and they would regret it. He turned to Atries, stepping closer. Atries stepped back slightly, intimidated. "Listen carefully, Atries. I do not care that you were once part of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic, or you have your own little house. If you mess with my House, weaken them, or try to mess with them, especially with my sister, you will pay the price very dearly indeed, no matter what."

Atries stepped back even more as Lin Chung also stepped back. His eyes were filled with rage, and the group now knew why he was the Head of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic. He was known for his nearly laid-back attitude, but he was forever loyal to his house and it's members. He knew when to be serious, and he was powerful, knowing how to use his powers.

Giving a last warning glance at them, he also vanished, the Earth swallowing him up, leaving no trace of him being there at all.

The group turned to each other, and turned to the warriors, who were scowling at them, mostly at the males, and glaring at Ri and Zi, possibly from insulting their Lady. Atries growled in frustration.

"Girls." She turned to Commander Apetrully. "Can you have someone show them to their rooms? And, if you can, make it a female." The Commander nodded, gesturing to Mystique Sonia.

She nodded, beckoning to the warriors, who, though reluctant, obligingly followed her, entering Big Green. Atries then stopped, looking at two of the girls in the back who Yue had previously scolded, and said something in a low voice, making them stay. They looked expectantly to her, and she sighed, leading them off somewhere, in the opposite direction.

* * *

**AN: And here's the fifth chapter! Hope you enjoy...**


	6. Warriors

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 6:

Lin Chung frowned, looking around. He couldn't see Yue anyway. After her little fit, he was still worried about her. He knew from the beginning, and was afraid to call the warriors. They gave Big Green a large advantage, despite the fact that the four of them themselves were the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic, but Yue and the group of warriors had clashed violently over the past centuries.

He eventually found her by the river in the clearing in the forests. She was frowning, tear stains clearly visible, her face pale as she was threw rocks there, a glum look on her face while she sat down, not caring about anything in the world. The rocks were bouncing further than possible, but that was to be expected.

He sat down beside her. "Really? I think I can hit further than that."

Yue scoffed. "Ha. You? Give it a shot." Lin Chung picked up a stone, and tossed it further than her. He turned to her expectantly. She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't concentrating. Or I would've done 2 times further than you."

"In your dreams." Yue rolled her eyes once more, before continuing to gaze ahead.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Sure. Give. I like English money. English sound nice." Lin Chung gently slapped Yue's free hand away. She smiled, before turning back once again.

Lin Chung also looked ahead, thinking of everything. He had to check up on the Houses before the Winter Solstice, and then, he had to make sure that everything was well, check the prisons, make sure that everything was in order, as well as renewing the protection for the Houses with the House of Protection. Looks like it was going to a very long December. Yue's voice startled Lin Chung out of his thoughts.

"Do you think they actually cared for us?"

Lin Chung looked at Yue sadly. "Or course. They did care about you."

"Then why did they not come when we need them? When we were under siege? They still think that they're wise, but they're not. A stupid hunt with the traitor of the House was more important then their own family, who needed help, and called out to them."

"Everyone has different opinions."

"Lin Chung, even Ri knows that Isabele was out so-called 'aunt'. She was the sister of my dad and Fortem, but she didn't help her younger brother. No. She was too important than to help her only family. If it weren't for our parents, and ourselves we would've been dead. If they had helped when we called for them, we wouldn't have had to live in such terrible conditions. Our parents wouldn't be dead."

Lin Chung was quiet then, listening quietly to what Yue was saying.

"It was said that the family had a bond that could never be broken. Ever. She had a bond with me. I know it. I felt whenever she was sad, happy, or angry. She should've helped me. I was forced to feel how she feel, even when I didn't want to. It was not a blessing. It was a curse."

"How so?"

"Did she ever tell anyone how positively frightened I was? When we were running, every time we returned to the house? I was frightened. I didn't know what to do, but I had to guess. Because I was the Seeker of the Elements and the Seasons, one of the most important to the Mortal World. She could've dropped some sort of hint, but no. I was too weak and stupid, lower than her position. I wanted someone who could help when I was young, and who came? No one. Nothing. All I had was myself."

Atries froze. She had called Yue a hypocrite, and she believed it to be true. But, to keep everyone free, she was forced to hide all her emotions under a smile. She couldn't cry, be angry, and be scared, even around her family. She turned to Isabele and Hersisa, and beckoned them. "Isabele, Hersisa. Is this true?"

"Yes, milady." They looked down, ashamed, as they also peered out of the corner. Yue was still standing furiously, her position shouting about her anger. Atries could see her animal inside roaring in sync to her anger, feeling slightly envious at the obvious control and power of the animal that Yue had tamed.

"Then why did you not tell me?"

"You held a grudge against them. We were forbidden to tell you of any events at the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic. You said loyalty to the House of Huntresses was more important that to our former houses." They turned back. Yue was still towering over the sitting Lin Chung, tears flowing down her face despite her look of anger. She then looked up in fury, and turned around, running into the forest, not turning back.

Lin Chung sighed, before speaking. "Guys, you know it is rude to eavesdrop. Especially you, Atries, Isabele and Hersisa."

He then turned to Ri and Zi. "Јас сум ќе се обиде да најде Yue. Вие момци се подели подоцна." They nodded, and he vanished.

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed! So reason comes out...**

**Oh, and translation: Јас сум ќе се обиде да најде Yue. Вие момци се подели подоцна.**

**I will try to find Yue. You guys split later.**


	7. Revelation

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 7:

Lin Chung found Yue soon enough, and looked at her. "You know that hiding in trees isn't the best place to hide?"

Yue cracked a weak smile. "Worked for some time."

"About 1 minute."

Yue snorted. "You are an Earth _Elementist_ _and_ learned to climb trees from young. Not a fair advantage."

"But you are the _Seeker_ of the Elements and Seasons."

Yue snorted once again, and leapt down nimbly. "So, what now?"

"You learn to co-operate with the warriors."

* * *

Atries looked at the door, before sighing. She knew she had to apologise, and, yet, her pride kept her from doing so. Growling in determination, she banged the door. A muffled 'Enter. And stop trying to break the door.' answered her. She chuckled slightly under her breath.

She walked in, her face now serious once again. Yue looked up from what she was doing. "Oh, Atries."

"Yue."

Yue looked at her. "Make it quick. I'm watching this thing. And its rare you come to me. Why not Lin Chung?"

Atries cleared her throat. "Right, I am sure you know that I eavesdropped on you earlier," _Gods, this is hard._ Yue nodded slowly, expression cautious. "I wanted to apologise for my past behaviour."

Yue was stunned, but she nodded slowly once again. "Apology accepted, Atries."

It was Atries' turn to be stunned. "You're forgiving me? Just like that?"

"Atries, I know you didn't know about me, and that your warriors didn't tell you about me, but, still. Anyway, its not your fault." Yue sighed, and went back to the show.

"What are you watching?" Atries asked. Yue smirked.

"The meeting of the Olympian Council."

"You watch the Olympians?" Atries asked, interested.

Yue laughed. "Ha. Watching them argue is one of the best reality shows available. And I was the one who suggested we make TV!"

Atries smiled hesitantly. "Can I watch as well?"

"Hurry up." Atries joined her, laughing into the night. As she finally left the room that night, she realised the loyalty that Yue would show to a friend, and was honoured that she herself was now considered on good terms with Yue.

* * *

"The only one who can stop the Mortals and Animals from attacking is the Emperor."

There was instantaneous reactions, like when they first suggested looking for the Houses. "No. Absolutely not."

"Why?! No."

"No way. That is a cold-hearted man."

"I'm saying now. No. He'll chase us out!"

"He's a man who cheated on his wife! No!"

Woo looked at the group. "Too late. We found the Emperor, you are to take him back to Big Green tomorrow afternoon."

The four scowled, surprising the group. Lin Chung looked absolutely murderous.

Atries scowled as well, before turning her back to the group.

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Made Up

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 8:

The group was escorting the Emperor and the children back, yet some could tell that the four of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic held a certain level of cold and silent hostility towards the Emperor and the children. Even Lin Chung, who was usually the one who stayed with the Mortals, was keeping his distance. The group was curious, but ignored it, until some of the group couldn't stand it anymore, and Kowloon and Rosefinch dragged them off, excusing themselves for a minute.

When they were out of earshot, Kowloon glared at the four. "_What_ is your problem?" He hissed, and Yue scowled back.

"Nothing."

"Then _why_ were you glaring at the Emperor?"

"No idea." With that, the four went back, ignoring the protests of the two, who then, with no other choice, joined them. Yue kept a straight face, the other two were looking bored, and Lin Chung was silent. But, still, they could see the cautiousness and the hostility reflected in their eyes. One of the arrogant children elbowed them, and whispered something, before approaching Yue, who pointedly ignored him. He scowled, and stepped forward, only to be ignored again as she turned around, going to his right. Finally, he tugged her arm, and she looked down at him. "Yes?" They could tell that she was forcing herself not to hiss at him.

The other three were tense, ready to hold her back if necessary. The others, though, had stopped all conversation to watch this (hopefully) interesting conversation. "Why are you like this?"

"Like what?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Like _that_."

"I'm sorry, but if you can't specify, I'm off." She turned around, continuing to walk, and the oldest one stopped her once again. "What?"

"Fine. Why are you acting like you hate us?"

"Who says I'm acting?" Yue's face was an emotionless mask.

"Fine. Why _do_ you hate us, then?"

"Why not?"

"Because we're gonna help you."

"As if." She snorted.

"Why do you hate us like that?"

"How long are you going to ask the question?"

"Until you answer it."

"Too bad for you then." She turned around, her voice still icy as she looked at the rest. "Let's go."

"Not until you tell me why you hate us. That's an order." The oldest looked at her.

"Oh, so are you ordering me now?" She looked at the now terrified child. "Listen here, _prince_," She spat the word out. "I don't care what you do, how you help them, or what you will not do. But, you don't go and bother me. Altogether, I can carry more power than you can ever imagine." She turned around once more. "And, I listen to no one, but myself."

"What? you are not more superior than me."

"In the Mortal World, maybe. In my world, not at all."

The Emperor lost it. "Then tell me why."

"No."

"Tell me now." His voice was also cold now, but Yue easily beat him to it.

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm ordering you to."

"Told you. Ordering does no good to me." She shrugged.

"Look here, girl. I don't care who you are, you _will_ answer my question."

"High and mighty. Just like all of your ancestors. To my kind. Fine. Tell me, remember the 2 innocent men that you executed? For absolutely no reason?"

"They were _freaks_. They tried to _attack_ my soldiers."

"Because they were trying to _defend_ themselves while _your_ soldiers attacked. They were my friends. And you executed them mercilessly, not even being there to watch. Shameful."

"Watch your tongue, girl."

"I have a name. Like the other two. Yue Long."

"I said _watch you tongue_." The Emperor growled. The squad exchanged nervous glances, looking at the three half hidden in the shadows. It was clear which side they were going to take. But for them, they had to take the Emperor's side. If he told them to attack, they would have to attack. Even their friends. And they knew that if they harmed or injured any of them, they wouldn't hesitate to harm them back.

"Too bad."

"Look here, _girl_, they deserved everything they got." Yue immediately lunged out, letting out a snarl, only to be held back by Ri, who was struggling even now. Zi joined him, while Lin Chung watched the Emperor closely.

"No, _you_ look here, _Emperor_. I don't care what you do, or what you say. But let me make one thing clear. They _did not_ deserve it. They were only children! They were lost, and wanted to ask for help. But you just _had_ to kill them. I don't even know why I helped my brothers to hold down their parents from killing you mercilessly, and slowly. Your descendants showed _my_ family _no_ mercy, so what makes you think I'll be nice to you? One more word about them, I don't care if I get killed, I don't care what they'll do, but _one_ more word, and you're a dead man." Her voice was serious, and the Emperor couldn't help but back away a little.

Yue snarled, and pulled herself free, turning around, her back to them. "You know, if you want to fight, you can side with us, or you can side with them. Or are you a traitor? Maybe she's a hypocrite." One of the children sneered.

"Look here, kid. Your ancestors tried to kill me, but they killed my parents instead. Should we rewind history?" Her smile told them everything. They shook their heads furiously, but smirks were still on their faces. "That's it!" Yue growled. She turned to the others, and first looked at her brothers. "Look here. I don't care who's side you are on, but I am not staying. If those people have anything to do with this war, I'm not going to be in it."

"But Yue, they can help us-"

"Yes." The Emperor interrupted. "And if your 'council' can't take care of the problem, then we have to."

"Ha. Help us? Showing us no mercy and _helping_ us? You, maybe. The Houses, no." She then vanished, leaving nothing behind. The group turned to Lin Chung, who was looking at the spot she left.

"The past Emperors do not have a good relationship with the Houses. You do not insult any of the Houses for no reason. And if there were _any_ problems _at all_, we would be notified of it and the Houses knows how to handle it."

"And what makes you superior to me?"

"For one, I am nearly 721 years older than you, maybe more. Or are you saying that I, as Head, cannot handle any problems of the Houses?"

"And what of Twin Masters? Is he not part of the Houses?" Lin Chung's hands lit up with magic, and the group stepped back.

"Do not _dare_ of even _thinking_ that Twin Masters is part of the Houses. There is a large difference. There are other Immortals, Immortals that you believe in. We do not need to be believed in, and we are not immortal." He stepped back himself. "Make decisions wisely, Emperor, or they will be your downfall." As he left, the Emperor snorted. "Hypocrite." Immediately, the other two had him pinned to a tree, a sword on his throat.

"Listen carefully, old man. He is not a hypocrite. If he is a hypocrite, you will not deserve to die, or live for that matter. You don't deserve to exist. And you know what differentiates us from you?" The Emperor shook his head at Ri's question.

Zi answered for him. "The difference is that Lin Chung is Head of the council, but doesn't abuse the power. He knows how to make peace in _both_ the Mortal World and Houses, but all the Emperors only know to take care of their own kingdom. That is a big difference, one that you will never notice, because you have been too caught up in your power." With that, the two vanished, leaving a slightly charred and disoriented Emperor.

"What now?" One of the children asked the squads. They shrugged helplessly, Kowloon answering.

"The thing is, Yue is pretty stubborn and rebellious. Once she says something, she _will_ hold to it. We can't expect any help from her. Ri and Zi argues with her, but also agrees with her, meaning that we can't depend on them. They may and may not fight with us. Lin Chung, well, he is probably the only one that will fight with us. Twin Masters is a threat to both worlds, and the Houses will probably come, but we cannot depend on the House that the two children came from. They will instantly disagree."

* * *

The group, with the others, turned. 2 panthers were walking calmly, looking around. They group readied their weapons.

The panthers only got closer, not noticing the group, yet they refused to disappear. The weapons were loaded. "Fire." Instantly, arrows fired, somehow missing the two panthers, who turned to them, eyes narrowed and growls heard. They took off, not glancing back in the slightest, only to be cornered from both sides. They turned into eagles, flying away safely until birds tried to chase them. Eventually, they landed on the ground, turning into wolves, their 4 feet thudding the ground as they ran.

"Whoa!" They stopped, looking down the cliff, turning around, only to find more than a dozen weapons approaching, closer and closer, until, finally, they had no more space to back away. Looking at each other, they came to a silent agreement, disappearing in water and fire, leaving nothing behind.

* * *

**AN: Long chapter today, cause I'm in a good mood.**


	9. Emperor

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 9:

The group appeared in a room, where some of the members helped them up, but Ri shrugged them off, wanting to go find Lin Chung and Zi Huang. He turned around, looking at Yue. Yue had turned back, but she was frozen, her eyes broken and terrified, not the strong courageous shape-shifter she usually was. The two came in the room, Zi hesitantly approaching his sister. "Yue?"

She looked up, and Zi jumped slightly. Her voice was quiet and raspy, shocked, even. "They tried to shoot us. They tried to shoot us." She seemed scared, and Lin Chung snapped his head to Ri, who nodded, sighing heavily.

"We were walking around as panthers, trying to find what was happening, when I saw something. I managed to get it, but the weapons were already fired. Luckily, Zi helped." Zi let out a faint smiled, before his expression turned serious again. "They missed, and we tried to run, only to be blocked. We went high, with birds coming down on us. We got cornered, but came back here." He then lowered his voice for Lin Chung. "I don't know about Yue. She's not focused now. Its still standing, right?" He didn't need to specify. Lin Chung nodded, his expression grim before he grabbed the thing that Ri was passing to him.

The Heads all looked. Lin Chung tilted his head, his expression not changing. "Reward for any member of the Houses. A thousand Yen for anyone that can catch one. A million for any of the major houses: House of Intelligence, House of War, House of Elements and Seasons, and House of Protection. Ten million for the members of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic." Gasps were heard everywhere, but Lin Chung continued. "If anyone can burn down or destroy their Houses, one billion Yen. No exceptions. By Order of the Emperor." The Heads snarled, and Lin Chung looked up, waving a hand.

The other minor House heads came in, Atries with her nose up. Zi explained the situation quickly, and even Atries looked sympathetic, walking up to the shape-shifter, swearing to kill the Emperor. Lin Chung waved his hand slightly, sighing heavily, before he looked at Tu, the Spiritual Guardian, and the Head of the House of Protection.

He nodded, and they both disappeared into the ground. They appeared in a room, the throne room, more specifically, with the Emperor talking to the squads, who bowed respectfully to him. He then looked up, and gasped, and the squads turned, only to nearly drop them in surprise. Seeing Lin Chung was the last thing they expected. "Emperor."

"Lin Chung. Come to surrender?"

"What do you think you are doing, offering people money for our heads?"

"Someone needs to make sure you know how to take care of yourself." The Emperor turned to the man beside him. "Oh, yes. The House of Protection. The sooner they are gone, the sooner their defences will crumble." Tu snarled, drawing his fists, but Lin Chung put out a hand to him.

His expression gave away nothing.

Lin Chung ignored this. "Emperor, I am sure you are aware of how all of your people survive?" The Emperor looked confused, so he continued. "The House of Protection not only ensures out safety, they also ensure _your_ safety. They are what make you able to protect yourself in you body. They protect them, both children and adults. And that is why, if you get rid of them, all of you will be in danger, unable to protect yourselves."

"My soldiers are more than capable."

Lin Chung looked amused at his arrogance. "You have to understand, I mean literally. Any humans would not be able to know how to defend and attack, even though they have the knowledge. Without this, you would all be helpless, both people and animals."

"Don't try to blackmail us."

"I am not blackmailing you, Emperor. Merely warning you. If we come to the Mortal World and you kill all of the House of Protection, you're dead. All you will have are your wits, and, possible, your hunger for war. The Houses are in charge of protecting the Mortal World. The House of Intelligence makes sure you are still understanding the words you are saying that are coming out of your mouth. The House of War makes sure your soldiers are not scared or daunted by war."

"And what does your house do?"

"We directly protect the Mortal World ourselves, going down there once we are done training, and growing up there."

"Then why are you not protecting us now?"

"Simple. We would, but we have too much on out hands, I'm afraid. Because you nearly killed 2 of the members of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic, you have disabled us. We are unable to work with only Magic-users, no matter how powerful. Therefore, we are unable to help you, and it is because of your order to cripple us."

"As if." Something in Lin Chung nearly snapped. Controlling his rage, he put his hand forward, palm raised. He closed it, and the Emperor went flying into the wall, landing on his throne, a bit disoriented, but not at all injured. The Emperor snarled. "You deserve it. Especially the rude girl." Tu growled, hands out, ready to kock the man down, but Lin Chung shot him a sharp look.

Ignoring his look, Tu spat at the man. "Listen here, _Emperor_, I don't care what you do, but you cannot just hurt Yue and get away with it."

"Can I?"

Lin Chung gestured for her to back away. "Listen, Emperor. You have harmed 4 of us, 2 which you have killed, with no explainable reason."

"Listen carefully, _Lin Chung_." The Emperor spat. "The Houses from now on, are to be banned from the Mortal World."

Lin Chung growled, the room turning dark. "Emperor, your family has wronged us for many centuries, and we have not complained about it. But you hurt one of us. Killed _two_ of us. Therefore, I am ordering the Houses, every member, permission to kill any humans or animals that come to find us, or come to kill us without hesitation. You have my word that they will not kill or injure without a solid reason. But, remember. They won't hesitate to strike anyone that injures one of their own. We will _not_ be joining this war until the Houses receive the respect or apology that they deserve." Then, before he ended, he added something.

"No exceptions." He and Tu disappeared again, with the Emperor and Squads looking scared.

Jumpy spoke up. "No exceptions? Means...houses will kill...us?"

Archer joined his now rabbit friend. "I'm not sure."

Panther King joined them. "Ever since they joined us, the two of them that we know have never broken their words. They have almost always meant everything they said. If what Lin Chung said is true, we are really alone for this battle."

The Emperor stood up. "Then we have to win this battle and prove we do not need their help. For now, we are at war with two sides. Twin Masters the first, and the Houses the second."

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed.**


	10. Emperor's Son

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 10:

Rosefinch turned to her friends, fists clenched tightly. "How could you?!" They seemed surprised at her hostility. But, then again, she was always close to Yue. Jumpy nodded, standing away from them, expression defiant. He was close to Lin Chung.

She scowled viciously, and Ria sighed. "Rosefinch, the Emperor is doing this for our own good. You can't refuse that."

"And, the Houses were the only protection we have against others outside that are Immortal and dangers to us!"

"We can defend ourselves!"

"World War II started a long time ago. Without the Houses, we would've been killed."

"It is because of the House of War that we were fighting."

"Life is full of challenges, but it is the _mortals_ who took the war too far."

"Rosefinch, you will show me respect and perhaps I'll show you mercy!"

"Forget it." She turned around, walking away, and the Emperor signalled. Several guards fired arrows to her, but Jumpy leapt in the path, intercepting them. His ears wrapped around his face, and he growled.

The Emperor frowned. "So, King of the Rabbits, you will join them? Very well, join the Air Force member rotting away in prison!"

"We have names." Rosefinch snarled, before being led out. But not before the two glared murderously at the squads. If looks could kill, they would've fallen dead immediately.

With that, the two were led to the dungeons.

* * *

_Several weeks later:_

It was nighttime, and the city was dark. Everything was serene and quiet, and there were only the shadows of the guards who were patrolling the castle. Suddenly, a shadow appeared, and leapt down nimbly.

It approached the young son's room, and peered inside. No one. Slowly walking in, he picked up the sleeping infant, who immediately started to cry. Next door, the Emperor had woken up, picked up his sword and approached the room, only to be knocked back with the force the man had. Still crying, the baby was carried away into the night.

The Emperor growled. "Houses."

* * *

The next day, the Emperor called everyone in, also demanding that Jumpy and Rosefinch be brought in as well. They pointedly ignored the group, and soon found blades being held at their throats. The Emperor growled. "Houses! Unless you want to see them die, you will come!"

Two appeared, scowling, but the Emperor continued calling out, and, to Rosefinch's and Jumpy's surprise, he walked _right through_ them! The squads were also wandering around, looking confused, also walking through them. "Appear or else your friends die!"

"Emperor." Rosefinch choked out. "Emperor!" The man turned to her, and she frowned. "You just walked right through them! Didn't you see them?" The confused Emperor shook his head, though he scowled.

"Stop playing tricks!" He shouted to thin air, and Rosefinch and Jumpy were now desperately trying not to laugh as Yue stubbornly shook her head, turned her back to him, and made a face to him again.

Yue rolled her eyes. "When they started trying to kill us, they lost all faith of us. So, no faith is worse than ignorance, because we can still be seen. No faith, no see."

Lin Chung sighed, and waved his hand, making all of them turn to the two, making them appear visible, which was where Ray had walked past a moment ago. "What do you want?"

Ray stepped back, flinching, scared now that he had walked right through his former friend, and yet he was acting so cool about it,.

"Kidnappers!" The Emperor claimed.

Yue turned around to him, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

"You stole my son."

"He is right there." Yue pointed at the eldest, who was standing beside his father.

"Not him. My youngest!" The Emperor snapped at her.

She scowled. "We didn't steal him!"

"You did! Who else would?"

"I don't know, Twin Masters?!"

"The Houses are in charge of him!"

Lin Chung intervened coldly. "Emperor, we are not responsible for Twin Masters. He is not attacking us, not our problem."

"Your job is to protect us!"

"You said before you didn't need our protection." Yue objected.

"Give my son back!"

"Even if we had him, why should we?!" Yue demanded.

"Because you are liars!"

"We are not!" The shape-shifter exclaimed indignantly.

"You are!"

"We're not!"

"Then prove it!"

"How?! Cut our heads off?!"

Lin Chung interrupted them once more. "Yue. Calm down. Emperor, we did not take your sons. But, we will be willing to retrieve him on one condition."

The Emperor scowled. "What are the terms?"

"When we get him back, you will apologise to the Houses, and you will not bring this up ever again. You will not see us as an enemy or threat anymore."

The Emperor stroked his white beard, before nodding. "Very well. But, I have conditions too. The squads go with you, and you are not allowed to lie where you hid them."

Yue and Lin Chung nodded. "You have our word."

The Emperor nodded, and gestured to the squads, who joined them, Jumpy and Rosefinch more happily. The squads were awkward with the two, looking at them, but the two didn't look back, with Yue only saying a cheerful hi to Rosefinch and Jumpy, and bidding the Emperor farewell coldly.

* * *

**AN: Hope you liked.**


	11. Word Kept

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 11:

The group stumbled through the undergrowth, still shuddering. "Remind me _never_ to go with you this way ever again." Ray muttered.

Yue laughed quietly, before leading them away. The lights at the castle were still alight, ready for any danger. The castle itself was already intimidating, with its grey brick walls, cobwebbed windows, cracked windows, and tall turrets which pointed sharply up. The guards were patrolling everywhere, and Kowloon peered round to Lin Chung.

"Can't you teleport us in or something?"

He shook his head. "They'll probably be expecting us to do it that way. If I try, they'll know we're here and it'll blow our cover."

"True, true." Yue mumbled, looking out. The steep metal wall at the back glinted evilly in the moonlight, and it was clear that nothing would be able to penetrate the shell without making a noise and revealing their position. She turned around. "Which of you are good at gymnastics and climbing?"

Rosefinch tentatively raised her hand, soon joined by Kowloon and Jumpy. She groaned. "Seriously?!" With that, she peered over the bush, exchanging a glance with Lin Chung. He nodded, and beckoned for Jumpy and Rosefinch, who stood cautiously next to them. To everyone's interested eyes, Yue changed into a panther, her back bending yet growing taller. Her skin turned black, and her face changed appearance. A tail grew, and claws crew on her front hands and feet.

She straightened up. This had taken less than a second. She blinked, her eyes now yellow, tinted with green. She smirked at their faces. She now looked almost exactly as she did before when she was a panther before, maybe even more fierce in the moonlight. Lin Chung looked out of the bushes, turning back to the group.

Ray let out a strangled cry, covered by Yaksha, who Yue smiled gratefully to. Lin Chung had turned into a panther himself, with his dark skin and round ears. His eyes, however, were still dark. Kowloon looked at him. "How did you do that?" He hissed, but Lin only smirked.

"Advantage of having shape-shifters in the family." With that, he grabbed Kowloon, scaling the wall lightly, followed closely by Yue, who was carrying Rosefinch. Jumpy looked up at them, still confused as to why they needed them. Their black pelts camouflaged with the night sky perfectly, and Yue handed Rosefinch a rope. "Tie this as tight as you can to something solid."

With that, she beckoned for the others, leaping down the wall. Lin Chung did as well, watching them carefully. They grabbed someone and started scaling the wall, soon reaching the top, and handing the person to someone else. NoHands flew up, while Jumpy climbed the rope. He was joined by Alpha Girl, who started to hack her way up. Hurricane and Archer were soon on the top of the wall as well, and, soon enough, they were all on the wall.

Lin Chung turned to them, his eyes serious as he scanned the field below them. "Don't scream." With that, all of them plunged down, Yue calmly falling down, as if she did this everyday. By now, the others were really tempted to scream. Lin Chung's expression was serene, and they flew to the ground, but, instead of landing on solid hard ground, the earth was softened, and they landed softly, the earth capturing them and straightening them. Ignoring their accusing looks, the two led the way up a tower.

They watched as the light upstairs went out, and roller their eyes, waiting at the bottom. Suddenly, they acted, scaling the wall lightly, and staying on either side of the windowsill. Yue looked at Lin Chung, who nodded, and they slipped in, knocking out the hidden guards in the shadows, and retrieving the small child.

They reached the bottom, the child now asleep, and Lin Chung scowled as he heard several patrols of guards heading their way. "No other way." With that, they vanished into the Earth, reappearing outside of the East Citadel.

The Emperor looked surprised at their appearance, immediately checking his child. His eyes flickered to the two, who were now a human again, and couldn't help noticing how sharp Yue's features were, still much like a panther, but chose to ignore it, sighing hesitantly. "You kept your end of the deal. Now, let me keep mine."

The next day, the Houses returned.

* * *

**AN: Hope you liked. Review please...**


	12. Parents

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 12:

"No way." Maria, mother of Mystique Sonia, murmured, rubbing her eyes. "This is just a dream. No way." The parents were apparently agreeing with her, and Yue winced. The four of them had just appeared in the dining room of the house which all of the squads' parents regularly met, along with the squads. This was no surprise, the way they reacted.

"Um...hi?"

"Mom," Sonia stepped forward, "These are our friends, um...Yu-"

"Yue Long, Zi Huang, Ri Yang and Lin Chung." Kowloon's father finished for her.

"Wait," Kowloon looked confused. "How?"

"Um...Right. We met before." Yue looked sheepish. "Sorry, are we interrupting something?"

"And you didn't tell us?" Sonia looked accusingly at them and her parents. "And no. The visit was sudden, to be fair."

"Oi. If we told you at the beginning, you'll tell your friends. Then tell their parents. We know your parents. They'll think you've gone whacky or something."

"Yue! Get to the point!" Maria told her sharply.

"What do you know of the story of the Houses and Immortals?"

Maria looked thoughtful. "Oh. My parents used to try and bang the story into the foundation of my mind, saying it would come in handy someday. Or at least, that's what they said. Something about the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic, and House of War? House of Intelligence etc. etc. etc."

"What would you say if we said that they were real?"

"You are joking."

"Wrong answer. Look, we think-" Yue was cut off from Ri.

"Actually, _she_ thought. If it's wrong, blame her." Yue threw a vase from nearby to Ri, ignoring the sharp protests from the others. Ri, however, ducked, and the vase was soon flying straight at Zi, who, in turn, also ducked, before Lin Chung caught the base swiftly and placed it back on the table, looking at Yue disapprovingly.

Yue growled at Ri. "Never make me throw things! Now look what you've done." Ri muttered something under his breath, also scowling.

The group looked at Lin Chung for explanation. "When the three were young, they learnt something from our parents. Terrible habit. When something goes wrong, immediately blame the other person in the room."

"I'll kill you later. Now, _we_," She put emphasis on 'we', all the while glaring at the other two, "Think that somehow, you're related to the Houses, different houses from us, though. That is why you must be careful. Twin Masters is out to get you."

"What?!" The younger ones looked at her like she was insane.

"What?"

"You must've got something wrong."

"Um, no. Zi gave me the info, and, technically, I'm older than you. By 400 or so years than you!"

"Ok, but how do you prove that Twin Masters is after you."

Lin Chung than froze. They turned to him, and he raised a hand, telling them to be quiet. Far away, they could hear rumbling and crashing, then, a voice. "Come out! Your puny friends from the Houses can't help you this time!"

Yue turned to them expectantly. "Please tell me that you didn't remove the underground shelter."

They shook their heads, Yue sighed in relief. "Good. Go there now. We'll hold them off until we are sure they are not coming back." Nodding, Maria led the way down, with the others following her without question as they heard footsteps.

* * *

"What's happening?" Kowloon whispered to them, hearing the thuds above. "I'm going to check it out." He cautiously approached the cellar door, and tried to open it a crack, before it was slammed down again violently. "Whoa!"

"They must not want you to open the door." Paul shook his head.

They heard several shouts, then all was silent. After, they heard a loud shout to someone, muffled, but it didn't work, and they heard Twin Masters go away, with nothing else left. They opened the door cautiously, and saw Zi. He was grinning happily. "I was about to call you up."

"What happened?"

"Twin Masters only sent a clone." His face turned serious. "This is too dangerous for you now. You have to go somewhere else."

"Where to?" Kowloon's father asked him.

Yue joined them, her face equally serious. "The only place we can actually protect you under our eye. Big Green."

* * *

**AN: So, review please!**


	13. Captured

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 13:

The battle was finally here. Everyone was tense as the atmosphere was soon filled with panic and worry. Only the four remained calm and composed, their aura spreading slow calmness to them. Lin Chung spread the map of the Hidden Kingdom on the table. "Here's the plan. Yue'll go with the Navy and take out the force heading here by sea. Zi will be in charge of the Air Force, and I will go with the army, making sure that they know what to do. Lin Chung, you'll be with First and Second Squads on the front lines." They nodded, splitting up.

Yue headed with the navy, before deciding to dive under, swimming freely through her element, before stopping in front of the enemy ship. _Way too easy._ She smirked, nodding at the navy, who immediately fired at the ships, who were too late to react. The ships blew up soon enough, the blast being covered by water, and the sailors soon either drowning or dying in the crash. Yue shook her head sympathetically.

* * *

Zi had taken off with the Air Force, making sure they remained enclosed in the clouds, or appeared visible if no clouds were in sight on their way there. The enemy was waiting for them. He scowled, before throwing air daggers at them, knocking most of them out.

More than half still left. Frowning, he nodded at the Air Force, who immediately linked rockets and fired a rocket at his command. It destroyed about a quarter of the forces left, but a reasonable amount was still left. He looked down at the ocean, mentally sending a quick panic SOS to Yue, hoping that she would receive it in time.

He nodded at the Air Force again, who launched another perfect rocket, hitting the middle of the formation, scattering the enemy. But they were just as deadly, returning the damage caused to them, until Zi was desperately trying to stop them from piercing the air shield he had made. Suddenly, there was a scream from the back of the enemy, and the back line fell into the water, where the Navy was waiting.

Yue turned into an eagle and soared up, her eyes twinkling in amusement. Her message was clear. _I can't believe you!_

Zi growled at the eagle, who shot him a flat look and flew in front of the enemy, looking at Zi for confirmation. Turning back, her eyes glowed aquamarine, and the water slowly swallowed the remaining forces left, leaving only a ship left to try and get away. Yue snorted, looking at her brother. "Brother?"

"My pleasure." Zi smirked, sending the ship flying into the ocean. Smirking still, he let the air go, and Yue was sent plummeting to the water. The Air Force looked at him like he was mad, but Yue scowled, before a thin stream of water wrapped itself around Zi, and he turned pale, wincing. _Should've expected worst._

With that, he was flung violently around on the water, before he settled back on his rocket.

* * *

Ri was having a similar problem, trying to shoot enough fire rings at the enemy to send them scattering or cowering in fear, but the army was bigger than expected. He sent a silent message to his family, who immediately got it, vanishing to help him.

Yue appeared first, laughing at her cousin, and freezing several of the tanks. She was soon joined by Zi, who froze all the tanks in place. The earth around them enveloped them, and crushed them tightly. The two stepped back for Ri, who smirked, sending a wave of fire to the enemy, winning efficiently.

He turned to the two. "Where's Lin Chung?"

They frowned. "At the battle."

With that, they vanished, appearing at the battlefield.

* * *

The battle field was chaotic, with animals and humans either getting captured or getting wounded, having to retreat. Atries and her warriors were still going strongly, only losing 5 warriors. Lin Chung was holding his own against 5 giants, who were still gaining the upper hand. His eyes displayed his relief at the sight of his family.

They joined him shortly, breaking up into pairs. Zi went with Ri, and Yue joined Lin Chung in the opposite direction. They manoeuvred around easily, killing nearly half of the giants, before they resumed their normal strategy of trying to knock a giant out. The rest had already been captured.

Yue and Lin Chung soon disappeared off the battlefield, out of sight, so it was safe to assume that they escaped. The cages were so crowded that it was easy to lose track of people. Zi and Ri were the only ones visibly left on the battlefield, and all hope of winning was crushed as they were captured.

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed.**


	14. Rescue

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 14:

"What do we do now? We've lost." Atries groaned.

"No, we didn't." Ri corrected her, sighing to her tilted head. "Two of us, some of our strongest, are still fighting. The group turned to the battlefield, where Lin Chung and Yue Long had suddenly appeared in the midst of several giants, still hacking at the monsters, making them go as quickly as the came.

"But they stand no chance." Sonia sighed, slumping against the cage.

"They have to get out of here is they want to stand a chance." Zi was focused on his little sister, who was slashing through them with now alarming speed. She looked upward, gasping, and narrowly dodging a blade before stabbing the monster. "Guys!" Lin Chung turned his head too, but was unable to do anything.

The monsters came faster now, and it was all they could do to hold their ground. They were now in the middle, still standing firm while fighting. They were clearly tired, but still standing tall. Yue growled, shifting to a sabre as she tore through the army's ranks, trying to kill as many as she could, before turning back into a human, slashing as fast as she could. Lin Chung's hands glowed purple as he fought bravely against the army, his eyes stone. His aura scared them slightly. It was powerful and firm, controlled yet wild, and was the destruction of them all if he wished.

Now, they really understood why he was the Head of all the Houses. Yue, on the other hand, was still slashing them, and a green aura surrounded her as she continued slashing through the army, moving faster and stronger. She straightened up, changing from animal to animal at a rapid pace.

"Oh lord." Zi murmured as he looked at his little sister.

"What?" One of the huntresses demanded.

"She has the blessing of an ancestor. The blessing of war. A sort of spell from our House." As they watched, they noticed that he was right. She moved easily, until they were once again backed up in the middle. Yue was breathing heavily, covered in cuts. Lin Chung looked the same, but he was still firm, his face showing no emotion. The monsters were coming at a much faster pace now, and within minutes, they were surrounded.

"Yue! Lin Chung! Get out of here!" Ri's voice travelled to them, and Yue looked up in shock.

"What? We're not leaving you!" Lin Chung grabbed her arm and she struggled to get away. "Let go! Let go of me!"

Lin Chung leaned down at his cousin. "Look, Yue, we have to get out of here. We cannot win."

"We can't abandon them!"

"We are not abandoning them. We need more time to plan. Everyone has been caught. We need to rest. We can't keep this up." Yue opened her mouth to protest, but was stopped by another sentence. "Look here, Yue. This is our only chance. We can get out of here and come back later and most likely succeed in taking back the Hidden Kingdom. If not, we'll lose and we won't have another chance." Yue looked up sorrowfully, before nodding slowly.

Lin Chung then exchanged a glance with the group before he nodded, both of them vanishing in a moment, leaving nothing behind. "NO!" Twin Masters' voice echoed throughout the battlefield as he trembled with rage. The group was scared but stood firm. They knew that Yue and Lin Chung would find a way to come back. They always did.

* * *

The two returned, soon enough, getting caught easily, to the surprise of everyone. "What are you doing here?"

"We needed a way to get in."

"And how to you plan to get us out?"

"Ask Lin Chung. He was the one who planned the escape."

They looked at one another, all in cages. "Now what do we do?!" Atries cried in exasperation. Yue didn't seem worried, examining the crowd below, seeing the poor panther being forced to fight the Minotaur.

"Oh!" She winced. "Harsh!" The panther had now got a deadly slash in its side.

"Are you even worried about the battle to the death thing-y?" Husky shrieked at her, but she ignored him, before booing as the Minotaur had landed a blow.

"OI! PENALTY!" The Minotaur snorted in her direction, and she let out a lion's growl in response, which made his eyes widen, and he backed away hastily, ready for the next opponent.

"Having fun?"

"Mm-hmm. 5 seconds. This jaguar is so dead."

"Do you mind telling me if we are clear or not?" Lin Chung snapped at her.

Yue growled. "Second. Needs to have their attention on the jaguar for a while." They waited, until she nodded. "Now."

Lin Chung drew a dagger, made out of something they couldn't identify, and, wielding it with frightening accuracy, aiming for the rope that held them in place. "Where did you get that?" Kowloon asked him incredulously. "They took our weapons away."

"Well, I still have a dagger." With that, he threw it at the rope, which slashed them free, catching the dagger neatly, and sawing the doors open, while the crowd was going wild at the competition. Bearstomp then urgently shook Twin Master's arm, pointing to the broken cages. He scowled, sending bears to charge at them, but Lin Chung landed on his feet, now twirling his bamboo staff.

"Wait. Where did he get that?" Kowloon turned to Yue, Ri and Zi, who shrugged.

"He always had it."

The bears were quickly taken care of, when Yue turned to the other three. "I'll take three. Lin Chung, you too, the rest take two and lead them away. Meet back at the Park." They nodded, and Yue grabbed the three girls, before vanishing in a whirlpool of water. Lin Chung took Kowloon, Jumpy, and Husky, before disappearing into the Earth. Ri snatched and Ray, before disappearing in a column of fire. Zi, having no other option, grabbed onto Archer and Hurricane, disappearing in a strong gust of air, just before Twin Masters fired a bolt at them.

They arrived at a park, where Yue heaved a sigh of relief.

* * *

**AN: Like the last chapter, hope you enjoyed.**


	15. Poison

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 15:

"So you're gonna poison Atries?" Meron, lieutenant of the Warriors, asked Yue and Lin Chung incredulously.

"Of course not." Yue scoffed, before looking thoughtful. "Not really." Under the glares of her friends, she winced. "Ok, maybe."

"But can't you find some other answer?"

"You know how long it took me to even find this answer? You try finding it, tough guy."

Lin Chung then intervened. "I still don't see the problem, Atries. You love your uncle. You take the vial, drink it, we get him, he cries, he joins us, we get the plans, we stop them, end of story."

They turned to Yue who was nodding, but still looking stunned. "What he said." Then, in a lower voice to her older cousin, murmured, "When did you get so blunt with words all of a sudden?"

"When you're surrounded by people who talk like that, it tends to rub off."

"Well, we learned when you were the first to be blunt."

"I'm honoured." Lin said dryly, as the others watched this. It was like a Ping-Pong match. There was no clear winner or loser as the words shot around, pointless, yet amusing.

"Your welcome. You want more of that?"

"Will thy stop this nonsense and get on with thee's work? We are going against our vows to poison Lady Atries."

Yue looked at her. "Thy? Thee? Really? Get in tune with the time. It is 'you', and 'your'."

The huntress looked offended. "Thou should show some respect. I am nearly 235 years old."

"Wonderful. And I'm 432 years old."

"I am being serious, unlike thee."

"I am being completely serious as well. I don't speak with old English because I know how to work with the changes during time periods. Honestly. Humans talk in the oddest ways. First it was this, then that, now it is completely whacko. What?" She looked at the accusing faces of the group. "It is. Anyway," She continued, changing the subject. "Just drink the stupid thing. Your warriors will catch you, we go get your uncle, the commander of the army who is giving them a good advantage, and he helps us instead of them. Or he just quits the battle."

Atries growled, grabbing the vial and downing the fearsome liquid. She looked at the two, who shrugged. Within a moment, she was down, and her warriors caught her. Lin Chung and Yue disappeared, only to return instantly with an old man, who immediately dropped to his knees, looking at the girl on the ground. "Atries?"

The girl gave no response. He hugged her body close, starting to cry, while the enemy also appeared, his eyes widening with fear and he tried to drag the man away. "There is nothing you can do now." The man refused to budge, before he blinked, and backed away in terror. He growled, knocking the enemy out, and Yue whistled.

"Strong punch. Well done." The old man smiled sadly at her, before Lin Chung sighed, handing one of the warriors a vial of clear liquid, who poured it into her mistress's mouth.

The man's eyes lit up. "Smart. You get me here, make Atries appear dead, and stop the hypnotism, before you rescue her." Atries woke up, shaking her head, before her eyes lit up and she hugged her uncle tightly, smiling in content.

"That was easier done than said," Zi marvelled, before smirking.

The battle was going to go much more smoothly.

* * *

**AN: That was just something that quickly got to me, from a Merlin (BBC version) episode. Can't remember which one, though.**


	16. Morphiks

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 16:

Everyone was laughing over the table as Yue told them a story of Ri, making the mentioned scowl, while Lin Chung bore a look of amusement for his little brother. "Alright! I get it. They get it!" Ri finally snapped.

Zi laughed harder. "Continue please, Yue."

"No! Don't!" Ri shouted at his cousin. He then muttered something, and Yue frowned, while Lin Chung and Zi still looked amused. "Ri! Fortem would be proud."

Everyone only laughed harder as well, and Yue ate a bite of her food, before her smile was wiped off her face as a familiar feeling took over her. Suffocation. "Yue?" Yue couldn't breathe. She tried to force herself to breathe, but it wasn't working. She then collapsed, her eyes fluttering shut, sweat beading her forehead. The three of them immediately stood up, looking at the daughter of Sefa and Albind in horror. "Ri, Zi. Take her to the med room."

Nodding, the two of them ran out, carrying Yue. The group, unsure of what to do, followed Yue and the two of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic. Meanwhile, Rosefinch and Kowloon stayed behind, waiting for Lin Chung, who had picked up Yue's plate.

He looked up. "We need to find what is in the food." They nodded, sprinting after him to Woo the Wise' room.

* * *

Kowloon peered round the door, beckoning for the group to follow him outside. They did, and looked at the three curiously. "What was in her food?"

"It wasn't so hard." Lin Chung answered simply. "Yue is immune to most viruses and diseases because of the magic in her blood system. Therefore, if a virus has caught ahold of her, it must be something that she was allergic to from the start. Because she doesn't get any viruses and diseases like us, when she has something that reacts badly with her in her system, there is nothing to protect her body from it. Think, guys. What are we allergic to?"

Zi stepped back, shaking his head. "No way. The only thing is..." His voice dropped. "Morphiks."

"Exactly. Someone got ahold of some Morphiks, and put it in her food. Even a small dose was enough to make her in her current condition. We can cure her, though." The others nodded, still wondering what was Morphiks. Meanwhile, Ri and Zi had noticed the avoiding question, and didn't voice it. Who put the Morphiks in the food?

Zi entered the room, returning an hour later. His eyes narrowed, and he swung the door open, revealing a warrior, Abigail. "Abigail."

She bowed. "I was going to see milady, Zi."

"Why are you here? You know very well you are not permitted here."

"I thought she was here."

"Did you check the battlegrounds? She was training there half an hour ago." Abigail nodded, and reluctantly headed away.

* * *

Lin Chung frowned, wondering what the warrior was here for. She knew that something had happened, and had wanted to witness it. Only to fail.

His frown deepened. _How could she have known? _They didn't tell anyone.

Something was up with the warrior. He was now perched in the storage room, watching the warrior. He shook his head in exasperation. She had obviously flirted with some people secretly, which was why he had to turn several animals back to humans as she must've reported to Atries. Anyone would've fallen for her charm, including the past Heads, but he was not them. He had followed her around, until she reached the storage room.

The warrior then snuck to a shelf, and grabbed a vial, that made Lin Chung's eyes narrow dangerously. "Morphiks." He whispered. She approached the entrance, and he followed her, still quiet. They reached Yue's room, where she was sleeping peacefully, her pale face visible.

Abigail looked around, tilting the vial, ready to pour it into Yue's mouth, before Lin Chung grabbed it and flung it to the wall. Abigail snarled, only to be faced with the Head, who immediately knocked her out.

* * *

**AN: Well, don't know what inspired ****_that_****.**


	17. Trial

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 17:

"Wow." Was all Alpha Girl could murmur as they entered the Great Hall, where Lin Chung stood near the back, obviously the Head, with everyone beside him. The Great Hall, now, seemed even more magnificent now that they had time to look at it.

The group noticed that Yue wasn't with him, while Ri and Zi joined the other two at the left, and Atries stood silently near the door. The group, feeling uncomfortable, sat in the chairs provided, where other Houses were also sitting. The door opened, and Yue, smiling at the group before her face went blank, gently led the former huntress to the middle of the room.

**ABIGAIL'S POV**

Yue was surprisingly gentle to me for someone who tried to poison her. She had a calming aura that surrounded her that made me more calm. As we entered the Great Hall, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Yue gave my shoulder a small squeeze, and then took her place on Lin Chung's right. "Abigail Breeze. You have been caught previously 5 times plotting against the Houses, and yet you roam free. However, the last time you were warned by the council, it was your last warning."

I looked up, shaking my head in a frenzy, but unable to speak. I knew he was right, and, even though he was doing this, I could tell that he didn't want to. "And you shall get no more chances to redeem yourself. We have gathered here, to talk about your crime. You have poisoned a member of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic, and the Seeker of Answers, your former House. What do you have to say about this?"

I looked at Yue, who had a hint of pity on her face, but otherwise, her face was emotionless. "I-I didn't mean to! I didn't want to! Please!" Yue looked weary of me, before nodding at Lin Chung to continue. "The council has decided that we would let Yue Long choose your punishment." There were murmurs of agreements, and nodding of heads. Yue stepped forward, looking at me.

"Abigail Breeze. You have been warned 5 times, yet you continue to make yourself known as a traitor to the Houses. I am feeling merciful towards you, and therefore, you shall be banned from seeking any sort of help or answer from any human, any animal, any House members and any being to ever live. With this, I," Yue hesitated, before continuing. "I cannot let you just get away with this. So, I will take away your name." The House members looked surprised at this, and I looked around, hearing several people whisper that I deserved a much harsher punishment. "From this moment on, you shall no longer be known as Abigail Breeze. No one will be able to give you a name, you yourself included. From now on, you will be nameless."

I shook her head. "No, please! Please! I didn't mean to! Please! I'll do anything! I won't do it anymore! No!" I cried, my voice the only one in the room. I looked at the two of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic. No one else protested. I understood. The two were strong, and the two most influential and powerful people of the Council. Yue had a slight look of sympathy towards me, while Lin Chung's face remained serious, only his eyes giving away his sympathy if you looked hard enough. I breathed heavily. This could not be happening. But a voice inside my head told me it was happening, and it was all my fault.

I was given numerous times to redeem myself, 2 times more than normal, and I had stepped over the line. "No! Please!" I begged Lin Chung, the Head, who only looked at me in quiet sympathy. With that, he raised his voice. "Council adjourned." And he turned around, not looking back as he vanished. The other House members stayed for a while to talk, and I felt a soft hand on my shoulders.

Yue gave my hand a comforting squeeze, before she led me out, patient. I was surprised. I deserved the complete opposite of this. Why was she like this? But I didn't argue. Instead, I let myself be led away to the portal, where Yue took something out of her pocket. It was a few sandwiches and a water bottle filled with fresh water. She handed it to me, gently led me forward again, and whispered to me. "Good luck." She then pushed me through, and I opened my eyes. I was in a forest, dressed in rags.

However, I still had the food, and I still had a warm feeling from where Yue had talked to me and smiled. In some ways, she reminded me of a motherly figure, someone that everyone could look up to. I nodded my head, and set my jaw firm. I was not going to waste her kindness. Unlike everyone else, Yue had chosen to hope for me, and was merciful. I walked towards the nearest village, going to find a place to work. I was going to start anew. A fresh start.

**Atries' POV**

I was surprised that Yue let her go so easily. But it was only as she led 'no-name' out that I really noticed the other side of her. The kindly and caring side, with a comforting and protective aura, like one that anyone would see on a mother. I looked at Lin Chung. He was talking with the Head of the House of Knowledge, before nodding and disappearing once again. I sighed. I knew how it felt like to be to make all the decisions. He didn't like it, but he had no choice. He had to what everyone voted for. The only comfort he had was that Yue would speak up for the person.

I mentally slapped myself on the head for not realising this earlier. That was why Yue was a great ally to Lin Chung's council and himself. She could speak up for the person when Lin Chung couldn't. She was his secret weapon, using her so that he could have something to 'consider', because she was, technically, the advisor of the Council. After Lin Chung, she was the second most influential person on the Council. I joined the group, and Zi and Ri followed me. "Hey guys."

"Lin Chung seems so harsh, cold, now that we see it." Jumpy blurted out before stopping, his eyes wide.

Zi laughed without humour, Ri joining him. "Jumpy, he has no choice. If he wants to keep his seat and position on the Council, he has to do what everyone votes for. If he still has the seat, it could come in handy in desperate situations. That is why Yue, Ri, and I are always there, his 'trusted retainers'. When he can't speak up for the person or matter, we speak up for him, letting him have something to 'consider'." The words I thought were confirmed by Zi. They nodded, but still looked uncertain.

Ri helped him. "Look guys, Lin Chung has absolutely no choice. The reason why he keeps himself emotionless during these things is because he doesn't want to see the expression of everyone else in the room. It is is job. Being the Head of the Houses is a privilege, but a burden as well. It is hard for people to do it. Lots of people have stepped down because of the pressures and expectations. Lin Chung has managed to hold his place for over, wow, over 685 years. That is the longest anyone has ever held the position as Head. The longest before him is around, what? 540 years?"

"Whoa." Was all Kowloon could muster up.

"Yes. You know, Yue was more forgiving than I though possible." I said, putting subject up suddenly as the thought popped into my mind.

Zi and Ri nodded fondly. "Yes. It sometimes surprises us ourselves, but she then told us why, even though she was strong. After all, water can change shape. Yue was the first, and always will be the first, to get used to the ways of new places and ideas."

"Why?" Rosefinch was curious.

"Simple. One line. Those who are powerful are those that can control their powers."

* * *

**AN: And that last line was from the tenth (I think) episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1.**


	18. Dead

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 18:

It was at nighttime that they were warned of this crime. They had set off, only to realise that it was a trap too late.

They were then captured, before the group was soon turned invisible for some reason. They were brought to the four's punishment. The group stared in horror at the scene. The four were in different places, far from reach from each other, and themselves. They had a blindfold on, and were wearing expressions of exhaustion on their faces, while their mouths were also covered.

Yue was standing blindly in a ring of fire, sweating furiously and moving her hands, so that rain clouds were putting the fire out, but the fire just sprang up the moment they were extinguished, and the flames only got higher and higher as it licked the ground near her eagerly.

Lin Chung was different from everyone else, trapped in the air, with something invisible shooting at him while shields of the Earth kept on coming up, blocking the invisible objects, only to have them destroy the shields the moment they touched them. The group looked on in confusion, until they heard Nat. "Air daggers. Takes a lot of energy and experience to make, and incredibly deadly. The only hint is the strong gust of wind that it sends."

Meanwhile, Ri was in somewhere opposite from Yue, trapped in a body of water, where he struggled to breathe, his hands lighting on fire and evaporating the water, ensuring him a quick moment of breath, before the water came back. Zi was trapped in a deep hole, the Earth slowly filling up the hole and burying him. His hands were covered, but they could see the strong gusts of air sweep the Earth, trying to slow down the process, while also destroying the rocks.

Kowloon turned to Tu, who was working on freeing himself. "I don't understand. They are in each other's element. Surely the others could help one another."

"It is not that simple, child. Look carefully. They're blindfolded and their mouths are kept shut. They are busy with trying to keep alive themselves. That prevents them from seeing where they are and where the others are by calling out. The only thing that they can feel is the element they are in, but they have absolutely no idea where the others are, and how to help them. You see the pin stuck to their necks? It is one to stop them from using their powers. The only thing that they can't stop is their Elemental Powers."

Yue was panicking now, the ring of fire clearly smaller and higher. The Air daggers were now going at record speed, Lin Chung only barely managing to make the shields in time to stop them. A dagger had caught him in he shoulder, and it was now bleeding furiously. Meanwhile, Ri was looking like he couldn't breathe, as his hands lit up on fire, evaporating the water, before it disappeared, and the water appearing again, and the cycle repeated again and again. Zi, in the meantime, had only his head free, and the wind was making feeble attempts to stop the Earth from covering their master.

They turned around, not daring to see it, when they heard screams of agony and anguish. They turned around, only to wish that they hadn't. The flames covered the area where Yue was lying, and there was no body in sight. Lin Chung was hanging limply in mid-air, a dagger straight through his heart, as blood spurted out like a waterfall. Ri was floating in the water, his body slack, and showing no signs of breathing. Zi was nowhere in sight, and the Earth had already covered where he was originally trapped.

And, as they looked at the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic's ancestors, they felt dread settle on their hearts. They had lost. They had lost the war. And they had lost them. All four of them. The last of the House of Shape-Shifting and Magic and the last hope the world had had.

* * *

First and Second Squad looked around, surprised. They couldn't see anything except for a light. It became brighter and brighter, until they had to shield their eyes. Several people then appeared, painfully reminding the group of their friends.

"Who are you?"

"Relax. We're, as the Houses call us, the Ancestors."

"What are you here for? We lost. The four are dead."

Rosefinch suddenly looked up. "What about the other four? The children of…Ri?" One of them frowned, though his wife beside him smiled.

"I'm afraid that they cannot come now, and…" She was interrupted by a grumpy-looking man.

"Yes, but something went wrong. They were not supposed to be like that. Something happened in their previous life, in their life just before the battle that changed the course of their life."

"What do you want us to do? It is too late."

"No, it isn't. Listen carefully. We have concocted a sort of time-turner object, one that can send people back in time. We need you to go back in time, where we have put on the time-turner. They are all the events that _could've_ gone wrong. Some may not be affected, but one rule remains as the most important. _You must not be seen by the four_. If you are seen, something will happen to the four. They won't trust you, therefore making things worse."

"What if we need to go in plain sight?"

"Only a brief glimpse. But not in front of Yue. She has the sharpest and clearest memory of them all ever since her parents died, determined not to forget anything again."

"And what if we can't do that?"

"Try." The ancestor said dryly.

"Ok, so what if we fail?"

"This time-turner can bring you to a place at the same time only _once_. Do not abandon this power. Learn from it. If anything happened to them, we are all dead. All of us. Understand?"

The group nodded, and Kowloon reached for the sand timer. He twisted it around, and the group watched the sand trickling down. Before they knew it, they had vanished, and reappeared in a familiar place.

* * *

**AN: From Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: The time turner thing-y.**


	19. Another Chance

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

Chapter 19:

They reappeared back in the briefing room, where the calendar said June 16th, two days before they tried to find the plans. They ran out, coming to a silent agreement, and nearly crashed into themselves. Both sides froze, before Rosefinch approached herself, and with the help of the others, they dragged them into the room, and locked the door shut. "What is going on?"

Kowloon looked at his past self. "Okay, past Kowloon, wow, that sounded weird to say, listen, we're from the past."

"The what?"

Rosefinch interrupted. "Actually, we're from the future."

"The future?" All of them looked confused now.

"We were sent back by the Ancestors."

"By who?" Sonia asked, but was interrupted by Rosefinch.

"The dead family of the Houses?"

"Yes!" Rosefinch nodded. "Now listen, something is going to happen, and the people that sent us here wants us to stop what is going to happen. You need to go to the volcano, the lair of Twin Masters _before_ the four planned it. He's not hibernating, he's pretending to. He'll kill the four!"

"Ok?" Past Rosefinch repeated, looking at them like they were crazy. "I'm having trouble comprehending this-" At that moment, two arguing voices sounded from the corridor, and Kowloon swore.

"We need to hide."

"I can't believe this." Past Sonia sighed, before opening her hatch, and gesturing for the other past selves to do the same. "Get in, and don't make any noise."

As the lid closed, the door opened, and Ri and Yue appeared, closely followed by Zi, but there was no sight of Lin Chung. Past Rosefinch hoped it was a good thing, and tried to think of a convincing lie about why they were meeting at the questioning gazes of the three.

"Hi, hi hi hi hi hi, Yue. Ri. Zi." Past Mighty Ray smiled nervously.

"Hi and what has gotten into you?" Yue asked, looking at them strangely.

"What do you mean?"

"Everytime you're planning something crazy, you go 'hi hi hi hi hi hi Yue, Ri, Zi. Lin Chung if he's around-" At that moment, Lin Chung appeared, "And he is."

"So, what are you guys planning?" Zi asked, sharp eyes probing them, making them feel uncomfortable.

Past Rosefinch then decided what to do. To speak the truth. "Um, listen. We were planning to try and execute the plan earlier."

"Why?"

"Because Twin Masters will attack us once we try to, and because he will kill you-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why the 'kill'?"

"He will!"

"And where did you get this?" Zi asked, not sounding impressed.

"A reliable source." Kowloon swallowed.

"Okay?" Yue asked, her eyebrow raised. Past Rosefinch bit her lip nervously. She remembered what Zi said once before: _After all, water can change shape. Yue was the first, and always will be the first, to get used to the ways of any new place or idea. _

She needed to use that to convince Yue. "C'mon, please?" Her desperation was probably visible, and Yue sighed. Ri stared incredulously at her, his eyes widened.

"You're not actually considering this, are you?"

"It wouldn't hurt to check, would it?"

Ri and Zi sighed, but turned to Lin Chung, who had one eyebrow raised, from where he was leaning on the wall. "You sure about this, Rosefinch?" Rosefinch nodded, nervous at being singled out. She hoped, for her sake, that her future self did know what they were doing. "We leave in an hour."

As the group left, the future group found themselves disappearing, and hoped that things would soon be put to right.

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**AN: Hope you like.**


	20. Everything Gone Right…？

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

**Chapter 20:**

Yue watched Twin Masters gloat at their plans, turning to the others. "He's gloating."

"Well, that's obvious." Zi snapped, before waving his hand. A duplicate of each of them appeared next to them. They nodded at Zi, who nodded at the duplicates. The duplicates ran out, and Twin Masters growled, starting to order some of the warriors to attack them, with Lin Chung chuckling softly. "Well done, Zi."

Zi smirked, before they headed out to the volcano, only to freeze, and collapse. "Zi!" Ri slipped out, and Lin Chung growled at him, trying to get him back, but he refused to listen, going to his cousin instead. Suddenly, something hit him, and he, too, vanished in the fumes of the volcano.

Yue growled. "Just perfect."

"We have to get them."

"No, we don't." Lin Chung corrected. "We get the plans first, destroy the runes, and then we rescue them."

Rosefinch nodded tentatively, before letting them take the lead, and frowned. Even though she was against this, she felt like it was right somehow. The two ran up to the underground trapdoor that had mysteriously appeared, and dove in, before the group heard a quiet splash. They joined them soon enough in shoulder deep cold water.

It was freezing, but they went on ahead, still slightly warm thanks to Yue. They reached a gate, where several giants stood. Yue growled, turning to Lin Chung. "Destroy them! I'll take this." Nodding, the grey haired boy ran off, leaving the other two to follow.

They turned back once more to see her engaging them in combat.

The group reached the small dimly lit room, where several runes lay, needing to be destroyed. Lin Chung frowned, stopping the others from touching the runes on the table. Taking off his hat, he threw it onto the table, and it turned into stone, crumbling into bits. The group gasped, before looking at him.

His eyes were firm, and he used his magic to reach out, snatching the runes. The runes clattered to the floor as the magic failed him. Lin Chung growled, approaching the runes once more, before he stopped, eyes wide with alarm. His gaze soon turned sorrowful, while he froze again, his eyes saddened.

"Lin Chung?" Kowloon asked tentatively, still slightly out of breath.

The Head turned to him. "Ri, Zi and Yue are gone."

The group gasped, stumbling back. They had failed. They had failed the ancestors, but Kowloon soon looked up. "Destroy the runes! Or it'll be for nothing!" They froze in terror as they watched Twin Masters enter the room, throwing away a broken hunting knife. The runes were the ones controlling the ?, as the group learned back then.

Once the runes were gone, they had to return back to where they came from: Nowhere.

Lin Chung growled, soon engaging him in combat. The others looked at one another, and then at the broken knife lying in the corner. Rosefinch picked it up, tearing the blade off, and holding it tightly. She approached the runes, ready to destroy them, when a voice stopped her.

Twin Masters' blade was at Lin Chung's throat. "Do it, and this one dies." Rosefinch hesitated. Which was most important? Lin Chung? Or the runes?

It was a hard decision, and looking at Lin Chung, a sort of understanding passed them. He nodded, and she breathed in deeply, before stabbing the blade into the runes, destroying them all.

"No!" Twin Masters bellowed, slicing Lin Chung's throat. Lin Chung's body became limp in his grasp, but, before Twin Masters could harm them, they felt the Earth envelope around them...back to Big Green, where the four's broken bodies lay with them.

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Meanwhile, back in the present time, Rosefinch looked up, seeing the shocked faces of many animals and humans as they, hopefully, returned to their own time. But that wasn't happening.

The Ancestors appeared next to them, frowning.

Something had gone wrong.

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**AN: And there's the open for a sequel. Review please, and, if not, thank you for reading this story, and I hoped you liked it.**


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